New Delhi, February 18, 2026:

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament on February 1, 2026, announcing a significant boost to gender-focused spending.

The Gender Budget Statement for FY 2026-27 allocates ₹5.01 lakh crore for the welfare of women and girls — an 11.55% increase over the ₹4.49 lakh crore allocated in FY 2025-26. The overall share of gender-focused expenditure has risen from 8.86% to 9.37% of the total Union Budget.

📊 Wider Coverage Across Ministries

This year, allocations have been made to 53 Ministries/Departments and 5 Union Territories, compared to 49 Ministries/Departments last year — the highest since the inception of the Gender Budget Statement.

Four new Ministries/Departments have been included in FY 2026-27, expanding the scope of gender-responsive budgeting.

🧾 Allocation Breakdown

The Gender Budget Statement is categorized into three parts:

🔹 Part A – 100% Women-Specific Schemes

=> 9 Ministries/Departments and 1 Union Territory

=> ₹1,07,688.42 crore

=> 21.50% of total gender allocation

🔹 Part B – 30% to 99% Allocation for Women

=> 28 Ministries/Departments and 1 Union Territory

=> ₹3,63,412.37 crore

=> 72.54% of total allocation

🔹 Part C – Less than 30% Allocation for Women

=> 37 Ministries/Departments and 5 Union Territories

=> ₹29,777.94 crore

=> 5.95% of total allocation

🏛 Top Ministries with Over 30% Gender Allocation

Among the leading contributors in FY 2026-27 are:

=> Ministry of Women and Child Development – 81.73%

=> Ministry of Rural Development – 69.92%

=> Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region – 48.60%

=> Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation – 48.04%

=> Department of Food and Public Distribution – 46.34%

=> Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – 40.44%

=> Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – 39.05%

=> Department of Higher Education – 32.25%

=> Ministry of Panchayati Raj – 30.93%

=> Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas – 30.22%

=> Department of School Education and Literacy – 30.10%

🎯 Focus on Inclusive Growth

The enhanced allocation reflects the government’s continued emphasis on gender equality, women’s economic participation, health, education, sanitation, and rural empowerment.

By expanding coverage and increasing funding, the FY 2026-27 Gender Budget aims to accelerate inclusive development and ensure that women and girls benefit directly from national growth initiatives.

The latest allocation signals a strong commitment toward building a more equitable and empowered India through targeted fiscal planning.